Windmill.



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(Application tiled Apr. 27 1900.) (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 656,922. PatentemAug. 28, |900. C. F. ALGER. WINDMILL.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1900.)

4 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

@Smswam En Magi/Y we Nonms PETERS no. Paare-LITRO., wAsHINnroN, n. c.

Patented Au 28 I9 C. F. ALGER. g 00' WI N D M I L L.

(Application led Apr. 27, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Mvodel.)

'mi Nonms Firms ca., vamo-umu, WASHINGTON, n. c.

' pe'tually lubricated.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,922, dated August 28, 1900.

Application led April 27, 1900. Serial No. 14,607. (No model.) i

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FREDERICK ALGER, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Oxford Chambers,

Bonrkestreet, Melbourne, in the British Coli ony of Victoria, have invented an Improved Vindm'ill, of which the following is a specication.

This invention has been devised in order to provide a windmill having a sail-wheel so constructed that it can be revolved at a greater velocity than is usual with the ordinary description of windmill, provisionbeing also made for automatically governing themill in the event of the wind-pressure upon the sails or the resistance against the mechanism being either above or below a certain standard.V

A further object of the invention is to so construct the mill that the principal wearing parts will be protected from dust and be per- In order that the invention may be readily understood, I will describe it with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in Whichy Figure l represents a vertical central section of a Windmill constructed according to this invention, while Fig. 2 is a plan-view thereof with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of part of the Wind-wheel of my improved windmill, While Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section thereof, but showing only one set of spokes and stays in the lower half. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed section disclosing more particularly the cross-head connection with the wheel shaft The same letters of reference indicate 'the same parts throughout the drawings.

A represents a casing or body having a downward conical projection A', arranged to lit within a sleeve B upon the usual upright tower or support, flanges, as b, pockets, or recesses being formed or provided upon it to receive timber-braces or T, angle, or iiat iron bars for securing it in position thereupon. A ring of balls h is fitted around the upper end of the conical projection A', so that the casin g A will be supported upon the sleeve B in such a way that it can be rotated freely therein, another row of balls h2 being arranged around the lower end of said projection for the same purpose.

Thecasing is fitted with roller or other bearings o o2, in which rotates the shaft or spindle C, carrying the wind-Wheel D. The outer bearing c where the shaft C projects through the casing A is fitted with a stufling-box and gland o3, in order to make a tight joint around it forthe purpose hereinafter described.

The rear end of the shaft C is fitted with a cross-head e', to the ends of which are attached spiral springs E, whose tension can be regulated by means of nuts e or otherwise, as may be found convenient. The spindle C is fitted at about its center with a worm F, which gears into a Worm-wheel F", havinga lspindle f, working within a suitable bearing f", proL jecting inwardly from the side of the casing A. A crank-pin gvprojects from` the faceof this Worm-wheel F and works within the end of a connecting-rod G. Thelowerend of this connecting-rod G is coupled to a pump or other rod g', which Works through a stuffing-box g2 in the lower end of the conical projecton A of the casing. An antifriction-roller g3 is mounted upon the pin connecting the rods G and g and Works against guides g4, projecting inwardly from the conical projection A of the casing. A rack His mountedupon the' sliding bearing c2, carrying the rear end of the wind-wheel spindle C and gears with a pinion h, which is keyed or otherwise secured upon a pivot pin or spindle i', upon which the steering vane or rudder I is mounted. The bearing c2 is adapted to receive a ring of antifriction-balls c4, arranged in contact with the shaft or spindle C and confined in said bearing by a collar c5, secured to said shaft near its rear end.

The wind-wheel D is constructed of a ring J, of metal or other suitable material, preferably stiffened around each edge by a strip of T-iron j' b72. From this ring a number of sets of wires extend to three fianges K K K2 upon the spindle C. Each of these sets comprise five lengths of wire. The wires L L', forming the spokes, extend direct from the edges of the ring J to the two flanges K K' of the hub. Two other wires L2 L3, forming front stays, extend from the ring J forwardly to a third` flange K2 on the front end of the shaft or spindle C, their object being to take the strain due to the pressure of the'wind on the face of the wheel. This third flange can be adjusted upon the shaft or spindle C IOO by means ofl a hut k3 in order to tighten up said stays L2 L3. The fifth wire L4, forming a back stay, extends from the front edge of the ring J back to the rear iiange K and serves to take the'straiu due to any excessive tightening of the front stays L2 L3. These spokes and front and back stays have been described as though they consisted of five distinct wires, but, as indicated in the drawings, the' two front stays L2L3, for instance, might be formed of one length, and the spoke L and back stay L4 might also be correspondingly constructed of a single length of wire.

The vanes M are formed of sheet metal and are mounted upon the two spokes L L', either by threading the latter through the edges of the former, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, or by turning the edges of the vanes around said wires or by clamping them thereto With screws or rivets; The edges of the vanes are strengthened by folding them over wires, Whose ends are then made fast to the rim of the wheel at one end and to the spokes at the other. With this construction of .wheel itis practicable to run it at a very high speed without fear of the vstrain becoming too great upon it.

The casing A is completely filled with oil or other lubricating material, so that when the cover a is fitted in place dust will be entirely excluded from the mechanism and this latter will be kept thoroughly lubricated. Instead of the Worm F being secured upon the spindle C and this latter being arranged to slide bodily together with the wind-wheel the worm might be mounted upon a squared part vof such spindle, so that it canvslide freely thereupon and yet be caused to rotate therewith. In this case spiral springs are tted /facanndgtltspindle at each end of the worm in order to retain it in its normal position under ordinary working conditions. A bracket or support N, carrying a footboard n at its lower end, is secured upon the casing A to enable a workman to stand upon it for the purpose of examining the mechanism or effecting any repairs or alterations.

In operation the spindle C drives the wormwheel F through the medium of the worm F and the teeth upon the latter, thereby imparting a reciprocating motion, through the medium of the crank-pin g, to the pumprod g. Should, however, the resistance on this rod become excessive from any cause-as, for instance, by the pump or other machinery driven by it becoming jammed-the wormwheel Fl would stop; but the worm F could still continue to rotate, and in doing so would slide the spindle C rearwardly, the effect of this movement being that the rack H, acting upon the pinion h on the rudder-spindle t', would cause said rudder to be turned toward the Wind-wheel, thereby throwing this latter out of gear. Precisely the same effect takes place if the wind-pressure against the face of the wind-wheel becomes excessive. Consequently the mill is rendered entirely automatic inn its adjustment in compensating for either of these conditions. In the event of the pump or other machinery being thrown out of gear, so that lthere is no work for the mill to perform, the springs E operate to move the shaft C and wind-wheel and bearing forward, the effect being to turn the steering vane or rudder I toward the wind-wheel, thus throwing this latter up into the wind and stopping its action.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- Y 1. In a windmill, the combination of a wind-wheel shaft, a sliding bearing therefor, a cross-head fixed to said sliding bearing, a vane or tail geared to said sliding bearing,

and springs connected to said cross-head and holding said sliding bearing in its normal position, substantially as set forth'.

2. In a windmill, the combination of a wind-wheel shafthaving worm and gear wheel connection with the pitman, a cross-head fixed to said sliding bea-ring, a vane or tail geared to said sliding bearing, and springs connected to said cross-head and holding said sliding bearing in its normal position, substantially7 as specified.

3. In a Windmill a wind-wheel shaft (as C) mounted in a sliding bearing (as c2) fitted with a rack (as I-I) in combination with a pinion upon the spindle of the steering vane or rudder of the mill substantially as and for the purposes herein described.

4. In a windmill a wind-wheel having a worm (as F) mounted upon its shaft orspindle in combination with a worm-Wheel (as F) mounted in suitable bea-rings within the casing or other support and a spring-controlled bearing carrying said shaft or spindle substantially as and for thepurposes herein described.

5. In a windmill, a windwheel shaft mounted in and carried by a longitudinallysliding bearing, held in normal position by springs, and a tail or vane geared to said sliding bearing, substantially as set forth.

6. In a windmill the combination with a wind-wheel shaft of a longitudinally-sliding bearing, antifriction-balls being inserted between a 'collaror collars o n said shaft and the face of said bearingfandA a tail or vane geared to said sliding bearing, substantially as and for the purposes herein described.

7. In a windmill a wind-wheel mounted upon a longitudinally-sliding shaft or spindle in combination with springs and a sliding bearing carrying said shaft and acted upon by said springs for retaining said wind-wheel and shaft in their normal position substantially as and for the purposes herein described.

CHARLES FREDERICK ALGER.

ICO 

